Decreased Mobility of the Spine

Each section of the spine has its own degree of mobility. The sections with the greatest mobility are the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) areas. The thoracic spine area(from the bottom of the neck to the base of the rib cage) is relatively mobile. The sacrum (the area just above the tailbone) and coccyx (the tailbone)cannot move at all. In many cases, limited mobility is a protective reaction of the body, which means the body tries to prevent the spine from being exposed to excessive stress and injury. The decrease in the ability to move often occurs following an injury.

Mobility may decrease slightly, as it does in the early stages of degenerative disc disease and scoliosis. It may also virtually disappear, as it does, for example, in diseases like ankylosing spondylitis, ankylosing hyperostosis.

When this condition occurs, the patient cannot turn just one section of the spine, he or she has to turn his whole body. It is also difficult to stoop, so they prefer to crouch down.

What is Scoliosis? Scoliosis Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

What is Scoliosis and Degenerative Disc Disease?

There are many people out there that have decreased mobility of the spine, and this condition is most often caused by scoliosis and degenerative disc disease. Although different factors and circumstances can bring about the decreased mobility of the spine, scoliosis and degenerative disc disease are the two most common ones. Both scoliosis and degenerative disc disease will be discussed in this article. To start, what is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is defined as a medical condition involving the irregular curvature of a person’s spine. This curvature is most often sideways and can either be in the form of a C- shape or an S-shaped curvature. This sideways curvature can indeed cause a decreased mobility of the spine in a person as it is not what a spine would usually look like.

Degenerative disc disease, on the other hand, is characterized by a pain and radiating weakness in the back that is caused by a degenerated disc or vertebra in your spinal cord. Disc degeneration usually occurs as a natural part of aging, but can sometimes be accelerated by stress and or a previous injury.

What is Scoliosis: Most Common Causes of Scoliosis

Medical practitioners and specialists are still at a loss on what causes scoliosis, and scoliosis, up to know is still considered as an idiopathic condition. This means that in most cases involving scoliosis, (approximately 80%) have an unknown cause. But in the case where the cause of scoliosis is known, these are the most common causes of the condition:

This belongs to the remaining 20% cases of scoliosis where the causes are actually known:

- Non-Structural Scoliosis - Non-structural scoliosis involves a spine that is although curved, still remains fully functional as far as the person having the condition is concerned. This type of scoliosis is caused by a minor underlying condition which when treated, will revert your spine the way it was before scoliosis.

- Structural Scoliosis - this type of scoliosis, on the other hand, produces a rigid curvature in the spine, which mostly means that it cannot be reversed. Structural scoliosis is most often caused by any one of these following conditions:

- Past Injuries - past injuries, as well as trauma and infections that happen near your spine, can expedite the process of having scoliosis, and in most cases can even cause it.

- Congenital Disorders - these types of disorders commonly include spina bifida, which means the irregular formation of the bones that can get worse as a person undergoes puberty.

What is Scoliosis: Most Common Signs and Symptoms Associated with Scoliosis and Decreased Mobility of the Spine

The scoliosis symptom that will manifest itself in you and cause decreased mobility of the spine may vary from one person to the other. But most often, the symptoms of scoliosis although more or less the same in most cases, vary depending on the severity of the degree of the curvature. These are some of the most common signs and symptoms associated with scoliosis and decreased mobility of the spine:

- Uneven Posture - the most physical and immediate manifestation of scoliosis the unevenness in the posture of the person affected by the condition. The person affected with scoliosis might look as if perpetually leaning towards one side of the body.

- Back Pain - Back pain can be felt in some if not all cases of scoliosis. The pain can vary from being constant to short barely noticeable bouts of pain in your back. This is because there is more pressure towards one side of the body where the spine is leaning against. The pain, in severe cases, may radiate to neighbouring body parts such as the shoulders, neck, hips, and buttock.

- Limited Mobility of your back - When scoliosis happens, there is bound to be a decreased mobility of the spine. The decreased range of movement that is present in your spine can limit you from doing certain activities.

- Tiredness in a few areas of your spine

How to Treat Decreased Mobility of the Spine in the case of Scoliosis

Scoliosis can be treated in order to remedy the decreased mobility of your spine, and there are a number of ways to do this, such as:

- Bracing - Bracing as a treatment to decreased mobility of the spine can be a viable treatment for children or teenagers, whose bones are continually growing.

- Surgery - Surgery is reserved for severe cases of scoliosis to reduce the severity of the curvature of your spine.

- Medications - medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen sodium can be prescribed to you by your doctor.

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Use a telephone headset

Never hold a phone between your shoulder and your ear. Use a headset or other hands-free system to talk on the phone and avoid abusing your neck and spine.

Neck Pain Tips: Exercise your neck muscles

One of the best neck pain tips is using the chin tuck. You can do this often throughout the day. In addition to helping strengthen the muscles that hold the head in alignment over the shoulders, it also helps strengthen the scalene and sub-occipital muscles.

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Carry weight evenly

Many people make the mistake of carrying a heavy briefcase or their purse on their shoulder or on one side of their body. Doing this causes strain in the muscles and leads to pain.

Remove non-essentials from your briefcase or purse. Consider using a backpack to evenly distribute the weight across your shoulders. If you choose to carry a purse or backpack, keep your shoulders level while carrying it.

Neck Pain Tips: Maintain a proper posture

The most common posture contributing to neck pain is the “head-and-shoulders-forward” posture. In this position, the neck slopes forward, putting the head in front of the shoulders.

In this position, the head pulls the upper back forward also in a slumped position. This places a strain on the entire spinal column.